An Off-the-Shelf B2B Portal or Custom Development: How to Choose
Contents
The market offers ready-made B2B solutions built on 1C-Bitrix, specialized B2B platforms, and cloud services. Studios also develop custom portals. Companies often choose based on the price of the first phase, then spend years paying for customizations that do not fit the platform or for developing features that ready-made solutions already offer.
Here is how to make an informed choice.
When a ready-made solution is a good fit
- a standard 1C configuration and ordering process;
- you need to launch in 2-4 months;
- you can adapt your process to the platform without losing your competitive advantage;
- you do not need to own the code;
- you do not need complex connections to CRM and multiple databases;
- your initial budget is limited and your processes are still evolving.
A ready-made solution offers a quick start and proven features: a catalog, shopping cart, client portal, basic data exchange with 1C, and standard reports.
When custom development is needed
- multiple 1C databases or legal entities with different rules;
- you manage your records in MoySklad, but the ready-made solution is designed for 1C;
- you need deep integration with Bitrix24: deals, tasks, and approvals;
- unique rules for pricing, limits, reservations, and approvals;
- owning the code and avoiding vendor dependence are important;
- you need the portal to serve as a foundation for other portals: supplier, contractor, and sales representative portals;
- you need custom modules: equipment selection, loyalty programs, and claims handled under your own rules.
The hybrid approach
A ready-made platform handles standard features, while your own integration layer and modules cover what the off-the-shelf solution lacks. For midsize businesses in Kazakhstan, this is often the best balance: many ready-made solutions were created for the Russian market and need to be adapted to local 1C configurations, documents, and processes.
| Model | Launch speed | Flexibility | Initial cost | Cost of further development |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ready-made solution | high | low | lower | increases with customization |
| Hybrid | medium | medium | medium | moderate |
| Development | lower | high | higher | predictable |
How to calculate the cost of ownership
Compare costs over three years, not just the first payment:
| Item | Ready-made solution | Development |
|---|---|---|
| License and subscription | recurring fees apply | none, or only for components |
| Implementation | lower | higher |
| Customization for your process | expensive and limited by the platform | included in the project |
| Integrations with 1C, MoySklad, CRM | standard integrations included, custom integrations extra | part of the project |
| Platform updates | can break customizations | under your control |
| Support | provided by the vendor and integrator | provided by the developer |
| Manual work caused by limitations | may be required | minimal |
A practical rule: custom development is justified when the cost of off-the-shelf limitations and manual work exceeds the difference in cost of ownership.
The ten-feature method
- List ten features your dealers need for the portal to be useful.
- For each ready-made solution, identify which features are available without customization.
- Request a customization estimate for the remaining features.
- Add up license, implementation, and customization costs over three years.
- Compare the total with estimates for custom development and a hybrid approach.
If a ready-made solution covers fewer than seven out of ten features, the savings usually disappear in customization costs alone.
Example feature list
- Customer-specific contract prices from 1C.
- Inventory by warehouse, accounting for reservations.
- Ordering by SKU and from Excel.
- Reordering and order templates.
- Credit limits with approval for orders over the limit.
- Documents and reconciliation statements from 1C.
- Multiple users and legal entities per dealer.
- Orders assigned to the responsible manager in Bitrix24.
- Claims with photos.
- A mobile version for reordering.
Questions for a ready-made solution provider
- How does data exchange work with our 1C configuration and its customizations?
- Is MoySklad supported, and to what extent?
- How does the integration with Bitrix24 work?
- What happens to customizations when the platform is updated?
- Who owns the data, and how can we export it when switching?
- How much does the license cost in the third and fifth years?
- Who is responsible for data exchange if it stops working?
Questions for a developer
- Which parts do you build from ready-made components, and which do you write yourself?
- Who owns the code, and how is it handed over?
- How do you prevent duplicates and data loss during data exchange?
- What does support include, and how much does it cost?
- How will the portal evolve after launch?
Common mistakes when choosing
- choosing based on the price of the first phase without calculating costs over three years;
- choosing custom development for the sake of “uniqueness” when the process is standard;
- choosing an off-the-shelf solution without checking data exchange with your specific 1C configuration;
- ignoring the cost of manual work the system does not eliminate.
Frequently asked questions
Can you start with a ready-made solution and switch to custom development later?
Yes, but migration costs money. If you already know you will outgrow the off-the-shelf solution, it is better to design a hybrid from the start with your own integration layer that can survive a platform change.
Which is faster to launch?
A ready-made solution, if your process is standard. Custom development delivers results faster if the off-the-shelf solution would require extensive customization.
Who will provide support?
For an off-the-shelf solution, the platform vendor and integrator provide support. For custom development, the developer provides support under a support agreement.
Will a portal built on 1C-Bitrix work if we use Bitrix24?
These are different products from the same vendor. They can be connected, but this requires a separate integration that needs to be included in the project.
Can you implement a ready-made solution and build the integrations yourself?
Yes, that is the hybrid model. The integration layer should be separate from the platform so it can survive a platform replacement.
